Spreading device



June 16, 1964 HEGGEN r 3,137,102

SPREADINC DEVICE Filed Feb. 12, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORs B/eesz A. HEGGEN WILL/w fz/ou 9w ATTORNEY n 1964 B. A. HEGGEN ETAL 3,137,102

' SPREADING DEVICE Filed Feb. 12, 1962 2 Sheds-Sheet 2 m Hg, 2 I

INVENTOBS.

BIBGEE A HEGGEN WILLIAM A. F'AZIOLI ,4 TTOENEY United States Patent 3,137,102 SPREADING DEVICE Birger A. Heggen, Cohoes, and William A. Fazioli, Troy,

N.Y., assignors to Norton Company, Troy, N.Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Feb. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 172,594 4 Claims. (Cl. 51-137) This invention relates to a spreading and feeding device particularly useful for the feeding of irregular shaped sheets in a wet condition such as hides from a tanning vat to a scraping or sanding device.

In one particular application, the invention relates to the shaving operation performed on the flesh side of hides which are still wet from a tanning operation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device for spreading and feeding a flexible sheet material.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for performing the shaving operation on animal hides.

Prior art mechanical methods for feeding the wet hides from the tanning vat to a mechanical scraper have been unsatisfactory in that they result in cutting or marring of the hides. Manual feeding of hides requires an experienced operator and often results in damage to the skins and incomplete utilization of the hide.

The present invention provides a mechanical stretching and feeding means which includes two sets of a plurality of paired discs which pull and tension the sheet material. Each set of discs includes a plurality of angularly disposed pairs of discs, each pair so arranged and operated as to exert an outward and forward force on the hide, by means of rotation of the discs.

While the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment illustrated, the invention will now be described in detail with particular reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial end plan view of an apparatus according to the invention which is adapted to treat wet hides coming from a tanning vat;

FIGURE 2 is a view in the direction 22 of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a somewhat schematic view looking in a direction normal to the direction of feed of the leather, which indicates the manner of operation of the feeding discs;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view along the line 44 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line 55 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now specifically to FIGURE 1, there is shown a table 11 mounted on the machine frame 10, from which the sheet material such as wet animal skins are fed to the machine. Two sets, 12 and 13, of belts are mounted to travel around table 11, in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1. Belt set 13, shown partially cut-away in FIGURE 2, runs over bars 14 and 15. Belt set 12 runs over bars 14 and 15 and also runs around feed roll 16 which is driven tlnough belt 17 by motor 18 mounted on the end of the machine frame 10.

Intermediate the table 11 and the feed roll 16 are the spreading discs which comprise a right-hand set 17R and a left-hand set 17L adapted to rotate in opposite directions. In the illustrated modification each set of discs 17R and 17L is made up of four paired discs. Each disc pair consisting of two flexible discs arranged at an angle of about 20 with respect to one another. The apex of the angle between each pair of discs is shown (as will be seen more clearly by reference to FIGURES 2 and 5) at a point 45 from the horizontal at the periphery of the discs. As viewed in FIGURE 2, the apex of the angle is 3,137,102 Patented June 16, 1964 "ice at 45 from the horizontal in the counterclockwise direction for discs 17R and in the clockwise direction for discs 17L. Discs 17L are adapted to rotate in the clockwise direction and discs 17R are adapted to rotate in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2.

Motor 18, through gear reduction unit 19 and chains 20 and 21, is provided to drive pulley shafts 22 and 23. Pulley shaft 22 and 23 are, in turn, operatively connected respectively to the front and back members of each of the spreading-disc sets by belts 24 and 25. The driving unit is arranged, as illustrated so that upon actuation of motor 18 disc-sets 17L and 17R will rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Each of the discs 17R and 17L are provided with spindles 26. The spindles are provided with pulleys 27 for the belts 24 and 25. The shafts are mounted in pillow blocks 28 which in turn are adjustably supported on beams 29 and 30 adjustably attached to the machine frame through adjustable support brackets 31 and 32.

Feed roll 16 is driven, through belt 33 by motor 34, and with contact roll 35, forms a nip into which the work is adapted to pass.

Over contact roll 35 is shown a coated abrasive belt 36 which runs over a second roll, not shown in the drawings. The width of the nip between feed roll 16 and contact roll 35 can be adjustable by rack and pinion means such as shown at 37. As shown in the drawing, motor 38, through belt 39 drives the contact roll. Alternatively, of course the roll, not shown, over which the abrasive belt runs may be driven instead of roll 35. Instead of a belt, an abrasive cover may be employed on roll 35.

Below the nip formed between rolls 35 and 16 is shown a conveyor belt 40 driven by motor 38 through pulley 41.

The operation of the above described device may now be seen with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 in conjunction with the above description and with particular reference to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. The passage of a hide through the apparatus will now be described.

The hide, placed on table 11, is moved forward by belt sets 12 and 13 moving in a counterclockwise direction as indicated in FIGURE 1. The speed of the feed is not a critical feature of this invention; feed may be in the order of 100 feet per minute. The leading end of the hide, under the influence of and supported by the belts 12, is led through the spreading discs 17R and 17L.

As may be more clearly seen in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, the hide 42 is simultaneously pulled down and pulled sideways at each nip between pairs of discs, due to the direction of rotation of the discs in conjunction with the position of the nip (defined by the apex of the angle formed by a given pair of discs). FIGURE 4, in phantom lines, shows a wrinkle which has been removed from the leather by the sideways tension produced by the rotating discs. As may be seen in FIGURE 5, the flexibility of the discs 17, which preferably are of rubber and may have a serrated or scored surface, permits deformation of the discs and an increase in the contact area of the discs with the hide.

The feeding device would operate in the same manner as described in the nip, contact point, or angle apex of each pair of discs were displaced 180, and the direction of rotation of all of the discs reversed. But the arrangement as illustrated is preferable in that the leather is stretched at the closest possible point to the nip between rolls 16 and 35.

As the leading edge of the hide passes beyond the discs 17, it immediately enters the nip between rolls 35 and 16. The coated abrasive belt 36 (or drum) for a defleshing operation may be a standard waterproof abrasive material coated in to grit silicon carbide grain. The feed roll preferably runs at a speed high enough to insure tension in the hide in the machine direction and may be a rubber roll. A roll of 70 durometer hardness is Satisfactory. The back-up roll may also be rubber and may be serrated, as is known in the art, to improve the abrading action. An abrasive speed of 3600 feet per minute, relative to the hide is satisfactory. As the scraping, abrading or grinding of the skin is completed and the last part of the trailing end of the skin is released from the nip, the hide drops on conveyor belt 40 and travels toward the front of the machine.

Many variations may be made in the apparatus described and illustrated. The feed rates, speed of abrading, number, and geometry of the spreading discs may of course all be varied by one skilled in the art. The size and number of pairs of spreading discs is not critical. Although the discs are shown as driven through belts and pulleys, obviously other suitable transmission means will be evident to those skilled in the art.

' Instead of a coated abrasive to perform the abrading or fleshing of the skins, a conventional roll uponwhich knife edges are mounted may be employed. In other cases, when the operation is not the removal of flesh from the skin, other types of abrading material such as very fine grain coated abrasives may be employed.

The present invention is not only useful for treatment of leather, but may be used on any operation where flexible sheet material, particularly of irregular shape is to be handled.

Although the discs, as shown in the illustration, are arranged so that an angle of about 20 is formed between the individual discs of each pair, this angle may .of course be varied depending upon the flexibility and thickness of the material being fed and upon the flexibility and speed of the spreading discs. Although the position of thenip between each pair of discs is shown at a 45 angle to the horizontal, obviously the discs may be arranged so that a flexible stretchable sheet material along a predeter-- mined feed path comprising a plurality of gripping members transversely aligned with respect to the direction of feed of the sheet material, said gripping members being arranged to sets of pairs on opposite sides of the center of the feed path with one gripping member of each pair located above said feed path and the other gripping member of each pair located below said feed path, and means to drive, said gripping members in opposite directions on opposite sides of said feed path whereby a forward movement along the feed path and a transverse tension are simutlaneously applied to the sheet material.

2. A feeding device for simultaneously stretching and feeding an irregular shaped stretchable sheet along a predetermined straight feed path comprising a plurality of paired discs, said paired discs being arranged transversely of said predetermined feed path and being divided into two sets by the center of said feed path, means to rotate the said sets .in opposite directions with respect to one another, each said pair of discs comprising two flexible discs, one located above said feed path and the other located below said feed path, said discs facing one another at an angle whereby a nip is formed at a point on the circumference of the discs coinciding with said feed path, said nip being so positioned that a forward and an outwardforce is exerted on material positioned in said 5 nip when said discs are rotated.

- feed roll.

I 4. A device as in claim 3 wherein said working roll is provided with a coated abrasive working surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A DEVICE FOR FEEDING AND SIMULTANEOUSLY STRETCHING A FLEXIBLE STRETCHABLE SHEET MATERIAL ALONG A PREDETERMINED FEED PATH COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF GRIPPING MEMBERS TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED WITH RESPECT TO THE DIRECTION OF FEED OF THE SHEET MATERIAL, SAID GRIPPING MEMBERS BEING ARRANGED TO SETS OF PAIRS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE CENTER OF THE FEED PATH WITH ONE GRIPPING MEMBER OF EACH PAIR LOCATED ABOVE SAID FEED PATH AND THE OTHER GRIPPING MEMBER OF EACH PAIR LOCATED BELOW SAID FEED PATH, AND MEANS TO DRIVE, SAID GRIPPING MEMBERS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FEED PATH WHEREBY A FORWARD MOVEMENT ALONG THE FEED PATH AND A TRANSVERSE TENSION ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLIED TO THE SHEET MATERIAL. 